Dealing with the Unexpected
by jumpinrachel
Summary: SethSummer are married with a daughter 2yrs old. Ryan has a steady girlfriend and they are all 25 yrs old. When everything seems to be crusing along just fine, the young Cohen family suddenly has to deal with more than they expected. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

"Mummy! Wake up Mummy! Helloooo?" Two year old Katie tickled and poked her mother in the stomach. Peek-a-boo was the best game ever and her Mum was the best player ever. She always made Katie jump. "Mummy? You're funny!" Katie giggled, sitting on her mother's stomach. She was only allowed to do that now if she was very gentle because they didn't want to hurt the new baby, so she crawled on very slowly and sat down with a small jump. Katie smiled at her mum. "Come out Mummy!"

o0o0o0o0o0o

"Damn". Seth muttered under his breath at the drawing one of his workers had just submitted to him. The guy who'd drawn it hadn't submitted a decent piece of work in ages. Seth had no option but to let him go, after all, the only reason for the business was really the money. He'd much rather spend everyday at home with his family. Sure, owning his own business certainly had its perks (like being able to take "sickies" occasionally if he was really desperate to stay home with his family and having his own spacious office that Summer was welcome to join him in at any time of the day) but it could also be pretty painful. Having to fire guys was never easy, so he decided to put it off until the next day. Surely one night couldn't make that much of a difference with his funds.

Yawning, Seth picked up the phone to call his wife, Summer. Since she'd been expecting, he'd been expected to take care of dinner, and tonight was no different. Not that it bothered him - he just wanted to know if she had any cravings and hear her voice. To this day he couldn't believe he'd won her over.

"Hello?" Before Seth finished dialing, Ryan barged through his office door and placed himself on Seth's couch, as though he was in need of some quality Seth/Ryan time. Seth put the phone down saving the call for later, chuckling at Ryan's forwardness.

"I always knew you'd be the one to initiate this quality time one day…" Seth grinned and gave his foster brother a pat on the back. "This is officially the best day of my life brother!" Seth sat beside Ryan before quickly adding, "of course, I didn't mean better than my wedding and uh just don't mention that best day stuff to Summer or she'll kill me."

"Woah Seth, get off your high horse. All I need is for you to fulfil a simple request from me: join Sarah and I for dinner next week." Ryan smiled thinking of his girlfriend. He hadn't had such strong feelings for a girl in so long, right back since that tragic night with Marissa and the crash.

"A double date man? We're 25, I'm married and you're asking me on a double date?" Seth winced at Ryan. "Sorry, I don't think Summer and I can double date, you see, we have to look after Katie and yeah."

"No! Just listen Seth; Sarah and I are getting a bit more serious. We've been together for a few years now. I think I've moved on totally from Marissa, I just, I want her to know you guys better before I decide to ask her to settle down with me or something."

"Ryan Atwood is getting married? Dude, good on you!" Seth slapped him on the back, beaming.

"Not yet Seth. Give me awhile, but for now, will you and Summer come out to dinner with us sometime next week? You can all come to mine or something casual and then Katie won't even need a babysitter. I just want her to know my friends better."

"Sure dude, I'm happy for you. Date, time?"

"I've got to head Seth, but I'll work it out with Sarah and let you know. I'll give you a call tonight. Thanks man." Ryan stood from the couch making his way to the door. "I haven't seen Katie in a few weeks either, it'll be a good chance for her to see her Uncle Ryan."

o0o0o0o0o0o

"HELLO!!" A young girl shouted into the speaker.

"Katie, is that you? It's Daddy. Did you answer the phone all by yourself?" Seth smiled thinking of Summer silently holding the receiver up to their daughters ear, helping her to convince her Dad that she'd done it all by herself.

"Yeah, Mummy didn't even help me Daddy. She's lying on the kitchen floor!" Seth's smile faded at Katie's words – what on earth was Summer doing on the kitchen floor and did Katie really answer the phone all by herself? She wasn't even three yet.

"On the kitchen floor Katie? What happened to her?" Seth asked cautiously, panic mode turning on in his body. He stood from his desk and grabbed his keys when Katie didn't immediately answer, always expecting the worst, especially since Summer was pregnant.

"We're playing Peek-a-boo and she hasn't peeked for AGES. She closed her eyes and took her hands away and now I'm waiting for her eyes to open so she doesn't scare me!" Katie giggled. "I've got her Daddy."

"You are a champion princess aren't you? Can you ask Mummy to speak to me though and then you can get back to your game?" Seth didn't want to ruin their fun, but he just wanted a quick chat before he got back to a bit of work.

"Sure thing Daddy. I'll just get her." Katie took the phone away from her mouth and moved closer to her Mum. "It's for you Mummy. Daddy's on the phone, and I answered it all by myself." Summer lay as she was on the floor, not moving a muscle. "Mummy! Did you fall asleep? We were playing a game? And Daddy wants to speak to you now! You've gotta wake up!" Katie giggled and poked Summer. Still, she didn't move.

"Daddy." Katie spoke into the phone several minutes later, Seth surprised to hear his daughter's voice again instead of Summer's. "Daddy, Mummy's asleep. She won't wake up."


	2. Chapter 2

Thankyou for all the lovely reviews for that first chapter! It's so nice to get comments from people who'd like to see what happens and I hope what follows continues to interest you.

My hope is to spit out a few chapters pretty fast, because as much as I would love to make this into a long, detailed story of dealing with that unexpected, I don't really have time! I've just graduated school and when I decided to take a year off, I got a job in the US for a year's long working holiday. So anyway, I'm taking my life from Australia to US in just three weeks time and whilst I'm there I hope to live it up and therefore don't think I'll really have too much spare time to be on a computer! (So unfortunately I may only go a very short way into the process of dealing...)

Thanks for everything... xox

(I forgot this last time but isn't it obvious?!) Disclaimer: I don't own (I'm just borrowing) so please don't sue!

* * *

"Mr Seth Cohen?" A young man in hospital scrubs had been entering and disappearing again from the waiting room for hours on end. Seth had gotten up several times to ask where his beloved wife was, only to be told that they were still unaware of her condition. Frustrated, he'd sat back on the chairs of the emergency waiting room with a packet of chips and fed Katie "dinner" whilst praising her for everything she'd done.

After the phone call, Seth had told her to run to the neighbour's house and ask for help. With Katie not yet three, he didn't expect her to be able to call an ambulance and was quite afraid telling her to run next door, but it was the best thing he could think of at the time.

Seth had called an ambulance and sped home to his wife, arriving on que with the medical officers and telling them the little he knew of her condition, including that she was twenty weeks pregnant. He'd thanked the neighbours for everything and taken Katie under his arm for the ride in the ambulance to the hospital.

Still asleep, Seth had tried to let the ambulance officers worry whilst he distracted Katie's young eyes from the pain of her mother. He told her over and over how grown up she was and thanked her for saving her mother's life.

"Yeah, that's me." Seth raised his hand gently, speaking quietly to the nurse. He didn't want to wake his now sleeping, scared child. Slowly, he rose from the seat, carrying Katie. As she stirred he whispered soothing words to her, helping calm himself as well.

"My name's Mark. Come this way Sir." The nurse led them to another waiting room. This one was free from other patients. The room was bright, filled with hard plastic chairs and old worn magazines. "Take a seat whilst I explain your wife's condition."

Seth nodded, dark frowns showing on his face. As Katie fully awoke he kissed her forehead and moved his finger to his lips to demonstrate quietness.

"Summer is your wife?" Seth nodded to Mark. "Rest assured Mr Cohen that your wife and the baby _are_ still alive. Summer is awake right now and just about to return from some tests." Seth sighed, nodding at Mark.

"But?" He knew it wasn't that simple. Life in Orange County never was.

"I'm afraid that we aren't exactly aware of the extent of Summer's condition yet. Our knowledge only tells us that she fainted after extensive blood loss. We are still running tests on her to help us with the reason for this blood loss." Seth nodded. "She is OK though, and right now that is all that matters."

"Thank you. And the baby?" Somehow Seth knew the worst was still coming. His grip on Katie tightened.

"As a result of Summer's fall when she fainted the baby may have suffered some type of brain damage. I'm sorry Mr Cohen but we can not be certain whether or not the brain damage would be serious until later in the pregnancy. We will get a couple of doctors to talk to your wife and yourself alone but at this stage, it is important that you weigh up the options and consider terminating the pregnancy. I know it is hard to deal with, but sometimes it's better for the baby." Mark spoke with sadness. This was the hardest job sometimes. "I'll leave you to let this all sink in. Summer should be arriving in room 217 very soon so you can wait in there for her if you'd like. I'm sorry to have to tell you this." Mark rose from his seat and exited the room, back to the main waiting room to tell another person of their loved one's fate.

Seth stood to enter Summer's room, tears forming in his eyes as he carried Katie, his only safe baby, with him.

"Daddy, where's Mummy? What does ternating mean?" Seth sucked in his sadness at his daughter's innocence.

"You mean terminating? Baby, we'll talk about that later. Just go to sleep now OK. You've been such a brave, brave girl today." And as Katie closed her eyes, Seth let the first tear slip down his cheek.

He knew that this was only the beginning.


End file.
